Russia successfully tests new AMD rocket

The Russian military has successfully tested a short-range counter missile which is to be used in the modernization of the country's AMD system.

­The rocket was launched at a military range in Kazakhstan and “successfully completed the task and hit the symbolic target in the expected time,” said the deputy commander of Russia’s Space Forces, Sergey Lobov.

Speaking about the future of Russia’s AMD system, Lobov said that the country is currently modernizing the information system of its AMD complex and also working on new anti-missile weapons which will significantly expand its combat capabilities.

The test comes amid growing tensions between Russia and the United States, whose negotiations over the controversial US-backed AMD complex in Eastern Europe are deadlocked.

Moscow has repeatedly asked for guarantees that defense planning is not targeted against Russia’s own military sites. Washington claims their AMD complexes in Europe are aimed at fending off a threat from the Middle East, but have failed to provide any guarantees so far.

In November, Russia`s President Dmitry Medvedev said he would deploy Iskander missiles in the Kaliningrad region in order to counter the risk posed by the European missile defense system.